John Ruskin - Art, Society and Ideology

Teachers' notes

John Ruskin was one of the most prominent figures from The Victorian and Edwardian era. His ideas have contributed and shaped much of 19th Century England, notably the formation of the Labour Party late in the century. His ideas are still relevant in the 20th and 21st Century as much as they were originally.

In 1875 John Ruskin founded the
Ruskin Gallery (originally called the Museum of St George) in a small cottage in the suburbs of Sheffield. The museum was intended to be an educational resource to the working class and artisans of Sheffield, by featuring collections that would be appropriate to their socio-economic class and employment.

In 1890 the Museum of St George moved to a new Ruskin Museum in Meersbrook Hall. This remained open until the 1950s when the collection was relocated to the University of Reading, eventually to be housed in a new museum. This never materialised and the collection was returned to Sheffield. In 1985 a new Ruskin Gallery opened on Norfolk Street in the city centre. A small Craft Gallery was added to the building in 1988. In April 2001 the Ruskin Gallery moved once more into the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield.